Did you know? Hospitals vent toxic & environmentally-destructive anesthetic gas into the community air we all breathe on a daily basis.

Risks to Hospitals

Fact! Toxic anesthetics are vented from hospitals into the air that we breathe

During the typical surgery, less than 5% of the total anesthetic administered is actually metabolized by the patient and the remaining 95% is routinely vented outdoors through the operating room air scavenging system.

Fact! Vented anesthetics impact air quality and human health issues

Once vented from the hospitals to the atmosphere, the anesthetics, being stable halogenated ethers, are:

Toxic and potentially lethal when inhaled in high dosage

About 7 times heavier than air, have an adverse impact on local air quality and are a human health concern in hospital neighborhoods

Potent greenhouse gases with a warming impact up to 3,766 times greater than CO2

The Environmental Protection Act is a set of regulations aimed at preventing pollution and protecting the environment and human health. Every area and country has a different set of guidelines and regulations but most regulate toxic emissions and carry stiff penalties for those who violate them.

Risking Human HealthScientific Fact: Anesthetics are about 7 times heavier than air
Vented anesthetics drop down to ground level and have a direct adverse impact on air quality and pose a concern to human health in hospital neighborhoods, for hospital staff and outside workers in the surrounding area.

In Ontario, these emissions are recognized as an Occupational Health & Safety hazard and may be affecting your staff, hospital visitors, patients, maintenance workers and anyone around the hospital.

Being Green FriendlyScientific Fact: Anesthetics are potent greenhouse gases that have a 20-year global warming impact up to 3,766 times greater than CO2

One average sized hospital annually releases emissions equivalent to approximately 400 cars. To offset these emissions, each hospital would have to plant approximately 125,000 trees per year, or use the Deltasorb® Anesthetic Collection Service.

Fact: Hospital annual anesthetic emissions are expected to double
The global anesthetic market grows about 10-15% per annum and therefore doubling every 7 to 10 years and so do the emissions of vented anesthetics.

Hospital filtration system traps gas

California passes cap and trade bill

In a preview of national regulation to come, California passes legislation intended to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases. Healthcare facilities may soon face additional costs associated with the venting of anesthetics. (www.scpr.org)
...